What you need for a senior market

A senior market needs more than stalls and tables. Plan the shopping around coffee and tea service, chilled products, simple catering, clear information and comfortable seating. The exact quantities depend on visitor numbers, opening hours and exhibitor commitments, so confirm registrations before buying fresh food. This checklist also helps you spot items that are often arranged too late, such as thermos flasks, extension cords, name badges and printed floor plans.

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What to bring

Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.

Furniture

Market stallsqty 18
Party tentsqty 6
Tablesqty 24
Chairsqty 120
Bar stoolsqty 8
Lounge sofasqty 4
Folding chairsqty 20
Tableclothsqty 24
Coat racksqty 4

Tableware

Coffee cupsqty 100
Tea glassesqty 60
Water glassesqty 120
Platesqty 120
Dessert platesqty 100
Forksqty 120
Knivesqty 120
Teaspoonsqty 100
Serving plattersqty 16
Serving spoonsqty 12

Kitchen

Coffee machinesqty 3
Kettlesqty 3
Thermos flasksqty 8
Coolersqty 6
Cutting boardsqty 6
Bread knivesqty 4
Kitchen knivesqty 4
Serving spoonsqty 12
Small bowlsqty 20
Serving tongsqty 8

Equipment

Extension cordsqty 8
Cable reelsqty 4
Power stripsqty 8
Microphonesqty 2
Speakersqty 2
Microphone standsqty 2
Laptop
Monitor screen
Payment terminal

Lighting

LED lampsqty 12
String lightsqty 6
Battery lanternsqty 8

Decorations

Welcome signsqty 3
Wayfinding signsqty 12
Program boardsqty 4
Table décorqty 24
Name badge holdersqty 30
Name badgesqty 80
Balloonsqty 100
Balloon pumpsqty 2

Office

Information leafletsqty 250
Floor plansqty 150
Program flyersqty 200
Pensqty 30
Clipboardsqty 8
Notepadsqty 12
Tapeqty 6
Writing clipboardsqty 6
Cash boxesqty 2
Receipt booksqty 4

Safety

First aid kitsqty 2
Flashlightsqty 4
Safety vestsqty 12

Cleaning

Waste binsqty 12
Trash bag holdersqty 12
Bucketsqty 4
Mopsqty 4
Broom setsqty 3
Vacuum cleaner
Cleaning cartsqty 2

Catering

Groceries
- Coffee beans - 4 kilos
- Tea bags - 300 pieces
- Black tea - 2 boxes
- Herbal tea - 2 boxes
- Rooibos tea - 1 box
- Cocoa powder - 1 kilo
- Sugar - 3 kilos
- Sugar substitutes - 500 pieces
- Milk - 12 liters
- Oat milk - 6 liters
- Coffee creamer - 6 bottles
- Whipped cream - 12 aerosol cans
- Spa Blauw - 8 crates
- Spa Rood - 4 crates
- Cola - 4 bottles
- Cola Zero - 4 bottles
- Sinas - 4 bottles
- Apple juice - 4 packs
- Orange juice - 6 cartons
- Multifruit juice - 4 packs
- Sparkling juice - 6 bottles
- Ice cubes - 12 kilo
- Coffee biscuits - 8 packs
- Butter cookies - 6 packs
- Speculaas - 6 packs
- Whole wheat bread - 12 loaves
- White bread - 8 loaves
- Wholemeal rolls - 60 pieces
- White rolls - 60 pieces
- Currant buns - 60 pieces
- Unsalted butter - 2 kilos
- Margarine - 1 kilo
- Young cheese - 3 kilos
- Aged cheese - 2 kilo
- Back ham - 2 kilos
- Turkey breast - 2 kilos
- Chicken breast slices - 1.5 kilos
- Hummus - 12 tubs
- Cream cheese - 12 tubs
- Peanut butter - 3 jars
- Jam - 4 jars
- Cucumbers - 12 pieces
- Tomatoes - 3 kilos
- Lettuce - 8 heads
- Bell peppers - 2 kilos
- Chicken salad - 2 kilo
- Egg salad - 2 kilo
- Tuna salad - 1,5 kilo
- Potato salad - 4 kilos
- Pasta salad - 4 kilo
- Green salad - 3 kilos
- Chicken breast - 4 kilos
- Vegetarian burgers - 40 pieces
- Hamburger buns - 80 pieces
- Onions - 3 kilos
- Pickles - 4 jars
- Mayonnaise - 3 bottles
- Ketchup - 3 bottles
- Mustard - 2 jars
- Garlic sauce - 2 bottles
- Salt - 1 kilo
- Pepper - 250 gram
- Paprika powder - 250 gram
- Olive oil - 2 liters
- Vinegar - 1 liter
- Lemon juice - 1 liter
- Apples - 8 kilos
- Bananas - 6 kilos
- Grapes - 5 kilos
- Mandarins - 5 kilos
- Yogurt - 6 kilos
- Vanilla custard - 4 liter
- Rice pudding - 3 kilos
- Apple pies - 8 pieces
- Quark tarts - 6 pieces
- Cream puffs - 100 pieces
- Amaretto biscuits - 6 bags
- Paprika chips - 6 bags
- Plain chips - 6 bags
- Snacks - 6 bags
- Nut mix - 2 kilo
- Napkins - 1000 pieces
- Paper towels - 12 rolls
- Toilet paper - 48 rolls
- Hand soap - 6 bottles
- Hand sanitizer - 6 bottles
- Dish soap - 4 bottles
- Dishwasher tablets - 1 pack
- All-purpose cleaner - 4 bottles
- Glass cleaner - 2 bottles
- Sponges - 12 pieces
- Microfiber cloths - 24 pieces
- Rubber gloves - 12 pairs
- Trash bags - 150 pieces
- Plastic wrap - 4 rolls
- Aluminum foil - 4 rolls
- Baking paper - 3 rolls
- Freezer bags - 2 boxes
- Trays - 12 pieces
- Wooden stirrers - 1000 pieces
- Cardboard cups - 300 pieces
- Cardboard snack trays - 300 pieces
- Paper lunch bags - 150 pieces
- Toothpicks - 2 boxes

Tips

Plan drinks for the first hour separately from the rest of the day: allow roughly two to three drinks per visitor, then adjust for the market’s opening hours and expected turnout.
Buy fresh produce as close to the event as practical, ideally on the day before or the morning of the market. Keep chilled items in coolers until serving rather than leaving them on a preparation table.
Count serving ware by the busiest expected seating period, not by the number of exhibitors. Include extra coffee cups, tea glasses, water glasses, plates, forks and teaspoons so volunteers are not washing up continuously.
Check power requirements before bringing coffee machines and kettles. Reserve at least one suitable extension cord per separate service point and test the equipment before visitors arrive.
Print the floor plan, programme boards, signs and name badges before market day. Keep a small reserve of signs and labels because exhibitor changes are commonly confirmed after the first print run.

Frequently asked questions

How much coffee and tea do I need for a senior market?: Use the expected visitor count and service hours as your starting point. For the first hour, allow about two to three drinks per visitor; for a four-hour market, plan roughly four to six drinks per regular visitor, with extra capacity during presentations.
When should I buy fresh food for a senior market?: Buy fresh produce no earlier than one day before the market, and preferably on the morning itself. Keep chilled products in coolers until serving, especially if preparation or setup takes more than 30 minutes.
How many chairs and tables are needed for a senior market?: Base the seating count on the busiest expected break rather than total attendance. A practical starting point is seating for 20 to 30 percent of visitors at once, plus tables for each confirmed exhibitor and a separate serving area.
What should I prepare before senior market day?: Finish equipment reservations, exhibitor confirmations, registrations, dietary information and printed materials at least 3 to 5 days beforehand. On the day, allow at least 60 minutes to position stalls, test power, set out catering and check signage.

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